Agency Owners & Leaders Conference 2026

08.45 Registration & coffee

09.30 Opening comments from the Chair
Mat Lintern, Global CEO, MMR Research Worldwide

09.40 Three decades of change: reflections on leadership and the future of research
Join Ben Page as he reflects on three decades of change in the market research industry and the lessons agency leaders can take from its evolution. Drawing on his experience leading one of the world's largest research organisations, Ben will explore the macro trends reshaping the profession, from shifting consumer behaviour and economic uncertainty to advances in data collection and analytics. He’ll also share his leadership philosophy on building high-performing teams, developing talent and creating resilient, future-ready agencies.
Ben Page, Visiting Professor, King's College London, FAcSS, FMRS (formerly CEO, Ipsos)

10.10 When clients can ask AI: how do agency business models need to change?
This session looks at how AI-driven disintermediation could rewrite agency economics. How will synthetic respondents and automated insight platforms reshape agencies pricing models, value propositions and commercial relationships? Where will agencies create value in the future?
Opened by Richard Heath, Head of Innovation, Curion Insight: flash-presenting new research into how client-organisations are adopting AI and their changing expectations of insight agencies.
Followed by a panel discussing:

• Which traditional revenue streams are most at risk and what work will become more valuable?
• Building a moat: developing and articulating agency USPs for synthetic data projects
• What pivots do traditional agency owners need to make and what are the key capabilities agencies should invest in now?
• Weighing up build or partnering strategies
• Meeting the existential challenge of preventing research from becoming a commodity and moving down the value chain

Chair: Paul Griffiths, Consultant, Client Advocates
Panel:
Ben Warner, CEO, ElectricTwin
Lewis Reeves, CEO, Walr
Matilda Andersson, CEO, Truth Consulting
Tash Walker, CEO, The Mix

11.00 Morning refreshments

11.30 From experimentation to embedding: the leadership, governance and capabilities needed to build an AI-enabled agency
Many agencies are experimenting with AI, but far fewer have truly embedded it across operations and workflows. In this practical session, AI advisor James Grant will explain the leadership, governance, skills and cultural change needed to move beyond isolated pilots towards an AI-enabled operating model.

• Examining the AI investments that are genuinely providing returns for research agencies
• Moving beyond pilots: the leadership, vision and governance required for AI adoption

• Determining where AI creates most value across your agency
• Redesigning workflows, roles and capabilities
• Managing risk without slowing innovation
• Building a culture where teams use AI confidently and effectively

James Grant, Co-founder, Iwantmore.ai

11.55 Advisory Round tables
Delegates are invited to choose one 45 min guided discussion to join, where they can delve into a specific business issue and benefit from expert advice and a frank exchange of ideas with their industry peers.

1. Building your agency value
Jon Priest, Corporate & Financial Advisor, Capel Partners & Green Square Associates

2. Leadership in motion: decision-making in 3D
Kirsty Fully, Advisor, Kirsty Fuller Advisory

3. Organic versus inorganic growth in the new insight landscape
Growing your agency: organic growth, acquisition or strategic partnership?
Dr Nick Baker, Founder, What Humans Do

4. Building a commercial plan that people actually use
Paul Griffiths, Consultant, Client Advocates

5. The role of feedback culture in helping agencies adapt and perform
Rachael Fraser, Leadership Coach, Rachael Fraser Coaching

6. What does it take to become a client's trusted advisor on AI and ethics?
Chris Rouke, Founder, User Vision

7. Beyond the generation gap: why the real problem is management
Josephine Hansom, Gen Z specialist

8. From cautious execution to confident ownership
Zoe Fenn, Leadership Coach, You Burn Bright

12.40 Lunch

13.40 MRS Voices4All Inclusion Pledge
Jane Frost CBE, CEO, MRS

13.50 Panel - Building the future talent pipeline: what kind of industry do we want and how do we get there?
Recruitment into entry-level research roles is stalling as agencies assess how AI will reshape their workforce and future hiring needs. But delaying investment in early-career talent risks creating a leadership bottleneck in the years ahead. How can the industry build a skilled, resilient and more representative talent pipeline that develops the insight leaders of tomorrow?
Join speakers for a discussion on:

• How we ensure that AI augments rather than replaces early-career development opportunities, so that people still gain the practical experience needed to become future leaders

• What kind of industry do we want to build? Determining how we can make the profession more visible and attractive to a broader and more diverse range of potential entrants

• why apprentices offer a better long-term return than traditional graduate recruitment strategies
• what sector support exists to help agency leaders reduce the cost and risk of entry level talent

Chair: Josephine Hansom, Gen Z specialist
Panel:
Bethan Coe, Head of Recruitment, Internal Mobility & Future Talent, Ipsos
Annabelle Phillips, Founder, AP Research & Co Chair, MRS Social Equity Group
Dan Clay, Managing Partner, The Social Agency
Debrah Harding, Managing Director, MRS

14.20 CASE STUDY - The human challenges of reshaping a business fit for the future
In 2025, Adam joined SAM Sensory & Consumer Research to lead the integration of two legacy businesses into a single organisation. He quickly discovered that the biggest obstacles weren't operational - they were human. This session explores the human side of organisational transformation.
Adam will share the realities of building trust, creating a shared identity and bringing together people with different work cultures and perspectives. Reflecting on what worked, what he'd do differently and the leadership lessons he learned along the way, he'll offer practical insights to agency leaders on navigating change, building stronger cultures and creating organisations fit for the future.
Adam Curtis, Managing Director, SAM Sensory & Consumer Research

14.45 Panel: Because being good at research isn't enough
For years, agency talent development has centred on building excellent researchers. But as AI changes the mechanics of delivery, client expectations shift, and agencies come under pressure to create more value, is craft training still enough?
This panel will bring together contrasting perspectives to explore what agency leaders now need to develop in the next generation of research talent. Do we double down on research fundamentals and develop the human skills such as critical thinking, ethical judgement, stakeholder management and storytelling, train up in technology capabilities, or do we need to place greater emphasis on commercial confidence, influence, client leadership and the ability to land insight in ways that change decisions?
Chair: Zoe Fenn, Founder & Leadership Coach, You Burn Bright
Panel:
Nick Rich, Partner, Growth Constructors
Alison Philips, Co-Owner, MM-Eye
Rose Tomlins, Managing Partner & Board member, MTM

15.15 Afternoon refreshments

15.45 How your team can build founder-level client relationships without you in the room
Handing over a founder-led client relationship can feel like giving the keys to a sports car to someone who's never driven one before. This session shares a low-risk, three-phase playbook for making that transition with confidence. Learn how to structure high-value advisory conversations, create seamless client handovers and build trust, so your team feels empowered, clients feel upgraded, and you can step back without slowing your agency's growth.
David Das, Founder, B2B Human

16.10 Behind the boardroom door: decisions that define us
Leadership can be lonely - tough conversations, big decisions and uncertainty often don’t’ get spoken about openly... This session changes that.
Bringing together four accomplished female leaders who have experience in management buyouts, growing and selling businesses, working with PE and navigating significant periods of change, this candid discussion lifts the lid on what really happens behind closed boardroom doors.
They’ll open up about the decisions that carried real risk, the disagreements that shaped strategy, the moments of self-doubt, the balancing act between commercial performance and people, and the lessons learned when things didn't go to plan.
Because sometimes the most valuable leadership lessons come from the conversations that happen when the boardroom door closes.
Sabine Cronick. COO, Unknown
In conversation with
Laura Pereira, Managing Partner, The Big Picture
Caroline Whitehill, Owner, Acacia Avenue
Anna Cliffe, Founder, Trinity McQueen

16.40 Advisory Round tables
Delegates are invited to choose one 45 min guided discussion to join, where they can delve into a specific business issue and benefit from expert advice and a frank exchange of ideas with their industry peers.

1.Building your agency value
Jon Priest, Corporate & Financial Advisor, Capel Partners & Green Square Associates

2. Leadership in motion: decision-making in 3D
Kirsty Fully, Advisor

3. Organic versus inorganic growth in the new insight landscape
Growing your agency: organic growth, acquisition or strategic partnership?
Dr Nick Baker

4. Building a commercial plan that people actually use
Paul Griffiths, Consultant, Client Advocates

5. The role of feedback culture in helping agencies adapt and perform
Rachael Fraser

6. What does it take to become a client's trusted advisor on AI and ethics?
Chris Rouke

7. Beyond the generation gap: why the real problem is management
Josephine Hansom

8. From cautious execution to confident ownership
Zoe Fenn

17.25 Closing comments from the Chair

17.35 End of day